FF6: A Taste of Tears
by Ponderosa
Summary: [FF6] LeoxKefka (In-Progress) Yaoi. Gestahl's machine proves that Kefka doesn't possess nearly as much strength as his friend Leo gives him credit for.
1. Outta my way

Title: A Taste of Tears   
Author: Ponderosa (ponderosa@dragonworld.com)   
Fandom: Final Fantasy 6   
Pairing: LeoxKefka 

Archived at: Destiny Interrupted (My site. URL in profile)   
Warning: **[PG-13]** Yaoi. Angst.   
Spoilers: All over the place. 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to their respective copyright owners, like Square. Plot, if you can call it that, belongs to me. 

Notes: I love Kefka an _insane_ amount. Mwa, ha! *cough* 

  
-=*=-  


**A Taste of Tears**   
  


"Colonel Palazzo! How do you feel?" 

Kefka stumbled out of the chamber, irritably brushing away the hands that sought to help him. The floor refused to stop swaying, and he lifted his aching head to try to get his bearings. The assistant engineer clutching at his elbow took a half step backwards. 

"Cid!" the young assistant cried out. "Sir! I think there's been a problem." 

Before Cid could respond, the door to the lab burst open and a dark-skinned man in uniform stormed in. A heavy broadsword was naked in his hand and he ignored the engineers' protests that the area was restricted. His stride ate up the ground, and when he got to the stairs leading up to the platform where Kefka wavered, he took the steps three at a time. 

"Get out of my way," the man snarled. He raised his blade menacingly and the young engineer at the top of the stairs retreated. 

The assistant held his clipboard in front of him as if it would shield him from the tall officer's wrath. "You can't be in here," he protested weakly. 

"What have you done?" Leo said. He slipped a thickly muscled arm around Kefka's narrow waist. 

"Colonel Palazzo v-v-volunteered." 

"They've given me magic," Kefka said, leaning heavily on the taller officer. "Magic, Leo..." He blinked and something warm and wet slid down his cheeks. 

"Fool," Leo whispered. His fingers tightened around the hilt of his sword, daring anyone to challenge him as he helped Kefka stumble down the steps. It took an agonizingly long time, but with his blade out, there was little else he could do. Besides, he doubted the slender blonde would appreciate being carried. When they made it to the door without anyone moving to stop them, he felt relief wash through him. 

"You shouldn't have agreed to this," Leo said, his brows pulled together in concern. They were making slow progress along the hallway, and Leo's blunt admonishment echoed down the metal corridor. 

The world began to spin again, and Kefka steadied himself against the wall as he waited for the wave of dizziness to pass. His hair was loose from its usual high ponytail, and the fine gold strands fell into the edges of his vision. "Too late, Leo my friend, the deed's already been done," he replied, and lifted a slim hand to gather his hair and tuck it behind his ear. 

Kefka's fingers came away red and he stared at them in shock for a long second. His breath catching in his throat, he grabbed Leo's swordhand and forced it up to where he could catch his reflection in the length of gleaming steel. The pale face that stared back at him was distorted and blurry, but the makeshift mirror was enough for Kefka to see the blood that ran down his cheeks. 

"Enough," Leo said, gently prying the other man's fingers off his wrist. "We need to get you to the infirmary." 

"I'm crying," Kefka murmured absently. The other officer's strong arm slid around him again and urged him to walk. It took almost all the concentration he had to start his feet moving one in front of the other. 

"No, you're bleeding," Leo corrected. To his horror, Kefka began to laugh. It was a strange, keening sound, unlike anything he had ever heard from his friend before. 

A few heartbeats later, the laughter ceased abruptly. "You're right," Kefka said, his voice dark and distant. "And you know, Leo, this is a good sign. Every birth should be accompanied by blood." 

An icy chill raced along Leo's spine, but before he could dwell on his friend's strange words or the hollow tone of his voice, Kefka clutched his head and choked on a scream. 

In the end, despite all protests, Leo sheathed his blade on his back and resorted to gathering the other man into his arms. 

  
-=*=-  


At the infirmary, Leo had spent the time pacing around the room trying not to watch too closely. The man had poked, prodded, and done such uncomfortable looking things as prying apart his friend's eyelids and swabbing Kefka's eyes with cotton soaked in some minor potion. 

Now that the blonde was lying curled up in the center of his narrow bed, Leo didn't know what to do. "Don't go, please," Kefka had asked him, and so Leo had stayed. Like a dark shadow, he hovered at the foot of the other man's bed, feeling awkward and useless. 

Kefka's arms were folded over his head and he had begun to cry - real tears this time. His light hair fanned out over the maroon of his pillows and he shifted uncomfortably, making a soft, whimpering sound in the back of his throat. 

"Should I go fetch the-" Leo ventured nervously. 

"No," Kefka interrupted quietly. He drew in a shuddering breath and pushed himself up on the bed until his shoulders were propped up on the dark red pillows. His tears sparkled on his cheeks and he made no move to wipe them away. He looked at the dark man and shook his head dismissively. Extending one thin arm towards Leo, he said, "I'll be fine. The ache comes and goes...." 

Leo stared at the long, slender fingers reaching towards him. He wondered what the other man wanted of him. 

"Stay with me," he said. There was nothing unfamiliar in his light blue eyes, and when a faint smile touched Kefka's lips, the meaning behind the whispered request dawned on Leo. 

Leo swallowed and he willed his arm not to tremble as he put his hand in Kefka's. The man's bird-boned fingers gripped his hand tightly, desperately, and pulled him forward. Leo pressed a knee onto the bed, and fought down his fear when the other man leaned forward. Kefka buried his face against Leo's chest and drew the bigger man down beside him. 

"I think something happened inside my head," Kefka whispered, as he nestled into the circle of Leo's arms. 

The warrior sighed and he slowly stroked his friend's back in a way he hoped was comforting. He closed his eyes and wondered aloud, "Oh, Kefka, why did you do this?" 

"I'm tired of being weak," Kefka said, twisting his fingers in the folds of Leo's uniform. 

"You're hardly weak," Leo replied. Certainly there was some lack of physical strength, but Kefka had blazing fast reflexes and a quick wit that ran circles around anyone who thought him an easy target because of his fair looks. "Since we returned from the campaign in the North, even the Emperor has taken note of you. It won't be long until you're promoted. 

"You've proven yourself to every man in the ranks." 

"But now," Kefka said faintly, "I can prove it to the world."   
  


* * *

TBC 


	2. Frightful energy

Title: A Taste of Tears   
Author: Ponderosa (ponderosa@dragonworld.com)   
Fandom: Final Fantasy 6   
Pairing: LeoxKefka 

Archived at: Destiny Interrupted (My site. URL in profile)   
Warning: **[PG-13]** Yaoi. Angst.   
Spoilers: All over the place. 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to their respective copyright owners, like Square. Plot, if you can call it that, belongs to me. 

Notes: Leo is such an awesome character. :D 

  
-=*=-  


**A Taste of Tears** (Part 2)   
  


"Oh, you're back," the healer said. He paused briefly at his task of arranging an assortment of bottles in a glass-faced cabinet and nodded amiably at Leo. 

"You didn't do anything to help him," the warrior said. Kefka was sleeping, but the time he had spent with the slender blonde before he had succumbed to exhaustion had been mildly disturbing. From time to time it was as if there was an entirely different person lurking behind those ice blue eyes. 

"They've broken things I can't fix," the doctor replied. 

"What do you mean?" Leo demanded. He speared the man with a fierce look, but received only a sad, slightly weary smile in return. 

The medic stopped sorting bottles and closed the cabinet. He turned to face Leo and stuffed his hands in the low, deep pockets of his lab coat. "No potion in the world could undo what happened to Colonel Palazzo in that machine," he said. 

Leo struggled to comprehend that. Kefka was acting strangely, but he didn't look sick. "What if I got an Elixir?" Leo asked. He had no idea where or how he would find one, but they were said to be able to cure a man from the most grievous of wounds. 

"The brain doesn't heal easily like other parts of the body," the older man explained. "It can't be regrown like bones, skin, or muscle. And I'm afraid the science of the mind is rudimentary at best." 

"So there's no hope," Leo said. 

The healer shrugged his narrow shoulders. "There may be no easy cure, but there's always hope." 

  
-=*=-  


Leo rapped his knuckles against the door to Kefka's quarters before he poked his head in warily. His dark eyes swept the interior automatically. Kefka's room was a good deal larger than any of the other Corporals', himself included. The fact didn't go unnoticed by the other officers, but was ignored primarily because Leo had made it crystal clear that he didn't want the blonde to get any grief over it. 

His friend was seated cross-legged on the dark covers of his bed. Long blond hair was swept up in its typical style; secured high on Kefka's head by a short, braided cord of dark blue satin. The tip of Kefka's ponytail whispered against the high collar of his shirt as he twisted to look over his shoulder. When he saw who waited at the threshold, a wide grin split his face and his light blue eyes sparkled with excitement. Two weeks had done a great deal to erase the unhealthy pallor from his fair skin. 

"Leo!" he exclaimed, maneuvering himself around to sit on his heels and face the other man. The pair of deep violet trousers he wore were snug fitting and the flare of his tucked-in shirt drew attention to the slimness of his hips. "Come on in." 

"You didn't come down to the mess, so I brought you some food," Leo said, nudging the heavy door open with his elbow. 

"Who are you, my mother?" Kefka said. He laughed sharply, then shook his head. "Nevermind.... Look at this!" Placing his hands in his lap, he pressed his palms together and screwed his eyes tight in concentration. His lips moved silently and Leo felt the hair on the back of his neck stand on end. 

When Kefka carefully unfolded his hands, Leo almost dropped the laden tray he carried. A small flame flickered to life in the blonde's cupped palms. "Gods," Leo breathed. The Emperor had actually succeeded. True magic really was back in the world. 

"Beautiful isn't it..." Kefka said, opening his eyes to look down lovingly at the small, magical flame. At its core, the unnatural fire was painful to look at, but it fluctuated in size and intensity; shifting from a marble-sized sphere of bright yellow to something plum-sized and warm orange. When the spell lost its stability, the flame vanished with a soft pop of air, leaving behind a subtle, sulfurous odor. 

Saying nothing, Leo skirted the bed and set the tray down on Kefka's small writing desk. Magic. It boggled the mind. One always heard stories, but to see it with his own eyes.... 

"You don't think so?" Kefka prompted. He dusted his hands off on his thighs and unfolded his long legs to stand up. 

"I don't think what?" Leo asked, turning his head to watch as Kefka inspected the food he had brought. The slender man picked through the assortment of meats, cheeses and fruits delicately; finally choosing a small chunk of green melon and lifting it to his mouth. 

Kefka paused, holding the fruit an inch from his mouth, and quipped, "At all." He slid the sliver of fruit past his lips and chuckled at his own cleverness. "You dunce, I meant my spell, of course," he said, licking melon juice off his fingers with small, catlike swipes of his tongue. "Did you think it was beautiful?" 

"I-" Leo faltered. Yes, it had been beautiful, but like lightning crackling across the sky, it had been equally terrifying. Choosing his response cautiously, he finally settled on admitting to Kefka that he thought it had been amazing. 

"And what about me?" Kefka said, searching Leo's dark, hawkish features. His eyes glittered behind his long, dark-blonde lashes. "Am I amazing? Am I... beautiful?" 

The other soldiers often joked that Kefka was pretty enough to be a woman. He spent as much time out in the sun with the rest of the men, yet his skin remained light enough that it was easily to believe he did not tan at all. With Kefka's slim frame, long hair, and the gentle curve of his jaw, it wasn't the least bit difficult for Leo to understand what made the other men say such things. 

Leo had never joined in with the others as they taunted and made dishonorable, lust-filled overtures or threats of rape. It was that which had formed the basis for his and Kefka's friendship. Furthermore, unlike the other soldiers, Leo had made note of how that too-pretty face could twist into a feral snarl. He had always felt uneasy about the way Kefka handled himself on the battlefield. The blonde struck with merciless speed, but, as often as not, did so to wound and cripple. Leo on the other hand preferred to deal death swiftly, if he had to at all. 

"You?" Leo said, turning to leave. "You're dangerous." 

Kefka caught his arm and Leo could feel the chill of the man's fingers through his sleeve. Strange, he thought, how they were so cold after having just cradled flame. 

"Never to you, Leo," the fledgling mage said. 

His resolve wavered slightly as Kefka's hand slid up his arm, but, in the end, Leo manufactured an excuse and left.   
  


* * *

TBC 


	3. Burn up everything!

Title: A Taste of Tears   
Author: Ponderosa (ponderosa@dragonworld.com)   
Fandom: Final Fantasy 6   
Pairing: LeoxKefka 

Archived at: Destiny Interrupted (My site. URL in profile)   
Warning: **[PG-13]** Yaoi. Angst.   
Spoilers: All over the place. 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to their respective copyright owners, like Square. Plot, if you can call it that, belongs to me. 

Notes: Chocobos! *pets* :D 

  
-=*=-  


**A Taste of Tears** (Part 3)   
  


The battle proved to be swift and clean, with very few casualties. Needless to say, Corporal Leo was pleased. The castle had been built over the ruins of a large, private estate with little thought to strategy, and had fallen easily to his small force. The dark-skinned man smiled and planted his gloved hands on the stones and cast his gaze across the waves of wheat that stretched for miles. 

Leo knew that they had won themselves something better than a military outpost here. In a few years, with their flagging trade bolstered by Imperial gil, the citizens living in this valley would find themselves kindly disposed towards the Empire. 

At the sound of approaching footsteps on the stone, Leo craned his neck around. "You've been avoiding me these past few weeks," said Kefka, joining him on the rampart. "I'm beginning to think you don't like me anymore." The wind tugged at his cloak, and the dark, hunter green fabric flowed out behind him. Pulled back in its high ponytail, his hair was similarly affected by the breeze; rippling like the Imperial banners that had been raised on the castle turrets. 

"I wasn't avoiding you, Kefka. You were busy," Leo said. He drummed his fingers against the wall. "What are you doing here?" 

"What? Can't a guy come visit his friend?" Kefka replied. 

"I thought the Emperor was keeping you behind to demonstrate your new 'skills' to those who opposed his pet project," Leo said. His own commander had been one of those in opposition. The man was one of the highest decorated officers in all of the Imperial Army, and serving up one contrary opinion was already proving detrimental to his career. 

"Gestahl felt that lending my spells here would make for a better demonstration," Kefka said. He waved a hand around. "You know, fry a few archers off the roof, that sort of thing." 

"You traveled all this way for nothing, then," Leo said, bristling a bit at the thought that anyone had felt he needed assistance for such a simple offensive. "We've taken the castle." 

"Obviously," Kefka drawled. He closed the distance between them to peer over the edge of the rampart. His irritation evaporating, Leo felt a quick flash of panic, fearing the other man would have one of his dizzy spells and go tumbling over, but Kefka straightened and jerked his chin towards the wheat fields. "What about all those dirt worshipping farmers?" he asked. "Have they sworn their allegiance?" 

"Not yet," Leo answered. 

A thin smile crept onto Kefka's face. "Then they are still Emperor Gestahl's enemies," the mage said, raising a hand out before him as a suitor might offer a rose to his beloved. 

It took a moment for Leo to realise what Kefka was planning, and he made a frantic grab for the other man's arm. "Kefka! No!" 

Cold anger flashed in Kefka's eyes as he rounded them on the taller officer. "You _fool_," he hissed. "Do you have a death wish? Never, ever, _ever_, _**ever**_, interrupt me when I'm about to cast a spell!" 

"Are you mad?" Leo said, clutching Kefka's thin arm just above the wrist and giving him a rough shake. "If you raze the fields, we will have nothing to show for our efforts!" Concern mapping the lines on his face, he willed the other man to see reason. 

Something swirled in Kefka's ice-blue eyes and the blonde's delicate features twisted into a grimace. He turned his head away and wrenched his arm from Leo's grip. Frowning, he pressed his fingers against his temples. "I..." 

It pained Leo to see his friend like this. The man had always had his dark moments, but they were a hundred times more frequent - and intense - since he had gone into that infernal machine. 

"Burn the fields..." Leo forced a laugh. "That was a good one, Kefka. You had me going for a second there." He placed a hand on the shorter man's shoulder. "I'm honored you came to see me." 

Feather light, Kefka laid his fingers over Leo's. "It was lonely at the capital," he said softly. "I had no one to talk to.... And, as entertaining as I am, chatting with myself swiftly lost its novelty." The wind pulled bits of his hair loose from its ponytail, and the light blonde strands caught the sunlight; crowning him with a softly glowing halo. 

"Yeah?" Leo replied, unsure what else to say. A tingle ran up his arm as Kefka's well-manicured fingertips stroked the top of his hand. 

Kefka tilted his head, pressing his cheek against the buttery leather of Leo's glove. "Do you hate me for what I've done?" he asked in a pained whisper. 

"No, of course not," Leo answered. If anyone deserved his hatred, it was the Chief Engineer, Cid. However, Leo wasn't the sort to truly hate anyone, and the big man sighed softly. 

"If you don't hate me," Kefka said, inching backwards until he felt the firmness of the other man's broad chest against his back, "why did you lie about avoiding me? I went looking for you several times between my appointments with Cid." 

Because I am terrified of you, the warrior thought. 

"You're afraid of me, aren't you?" Kefka's question echoed the other officer's thoughts. He pulled Leo's arm to wrap across his chest and leaned against the tall warrior. 

The faint scent of lavender reached his nose and Leo closed his eyes. Kefka had smelled much the same when he had rocked the blonde to sleep that first nightmarish day when he had been infused with magic. "Yes, I am," he whispered, letting his chin press again the soft strands of Kefka's hair. 

  
-=*=-  


Leaving the castle in the capable hands of his seniormost Leiutenant, Leo had risen early to escort Kefka back to the capital. 

The blonde was already waiting in the courtyard when he led his mount from the stables. Sitting high atop the back of a fine black-feathered bird and shrouded in dark attire, Kefka's face seemed all the more pale. He brightened when Leo approached, and tossed back his cloak to greet the officer with a wave. 

Leo eyed the gilded tack of Kefka's black chocobo. Birds of that colour were extremely rare, and most were hoarded by breeders. When the chocobo adjusted its dark wings, Leo spotted swirls of gold-threaded embroidery running up the seam of Kefka's trousers. He knew the Palazzo name meant money, but this was the first time he'd ever seen Kefka flaunt it so openly. He supposed that, with all the time the blonde was having to spend in the Emperor's court to show off his fancy new tricks, dressing well for the aristocrats was important. 

"Been waiting long?" Leo asked, hooking a foot in the stirrup. He swung up easily onto the broad back of his mount. Chirruping softly, the great bird folded its wings obediantly around his legs. 

"Why? Do I look like a waiter?" Kefka said. He giggled strangely and touched heels to his mount, bringing it up beside Leo's large, golden warbird. "I'll have to remember that one," he murmured to himself, then draped an arm on the pommel and leaned over to smile at the other man. "You said dawn, Leo. It's at least a half hour past." 

"I had a few more orders to issue," Leo explained. He wound the reins around his fist and patted his trusty steed fondly on her feathered neck. 

"Ugh," Kefka rolled his eyes and sat back in the saddle. "You are so miserably predictable. Always putting your precious duty before more important things." 

Leo snorted. "Enlighten me, Kefka, what's more important than serving my Emperor?" 

Kefka flung back the other half of his cloak to reveal a slim black riding crop. "Me," he said, and his chocobo surged forward with a piercing squawk.   
  


* * *

TBC 


	4. If you know what's good for you

Title: A Taste of Tears   
Author: Ponderosa (ponderosa@dragonworld.com)   
Fandom: Final Fantasy 6   
Pairing: LeoxKefka 

Archived at: Destiny Interrupted (My site. URL in profile)   
Warning: **[PG-13]** Yaoi. Angst.   
Spoilers: All over the place. 

Disclaimer: Characters belong to their respective copyright owners, like Square. Plot, if you can call it that, belongs to me. 

Notes: Getting towards the good parts. *chuckle* 

  
-=*=-  


**A Taste of Tears** (Part 4)   
  


"It's an invitation to dine at the Emperor's table," Kefka said, passing the heavy piece of folded paper to Leo. His hair was still slightly damp from his bath and it felt cool against the back of his neck. 

Leo struggled to decipher the fancifully sweeping calligraphy. "For this evening?" They had ridden into Vector earlier in the afternoon and he only just returned from reporting to his commander. 

"That's what it says." Kefka snatched the paper back. He brushed the silver-dipped edge of it against his lower lip thoughtfully. "There's a seat reserved for a guest of my choosing," he said slowly. "Come with me, Leo." 

"I think they mean for you to bring a woman on your arm," Leo said. 

Kefka shrugged eloquently and ran an eye up and down Leo's tall frame. The other officer had showered and changed after their return and was wearing his dress uniform. "You're in suitable enough attire," Kefka said. "And who'll dare to say anything? I'm in the Emperor's favor." 

Unable to think of a good enough reason to decline the honor, Leo pressed his lips together and nodded. "All right," he agreed. 

"Just give me a moment," Kefka said, tossing the invitation onto his bed. He stretched his neck out and worked to undo the laces at his throat. "I'll put on something a little more appropriate." 

Kefka stood between him and the door, and Leo knew the other man had no intention of letting him pass to wait outside. Throat gone dry, he did his best to keep his eyes on the wall and not the smooth, pale skin revealed as Kefka slipped the shirt over his head. 

"Red," Kefka said, sliding open the closet to his left, "or black?" He dragged two shirts off their hangers and stood with one on each arm. 

Leo was forced to look at his friend to offer an opinion. "Black," he answered, and snapped his eyes back to the wall. 

But, it was too late. He had gotten a good eyeful of Kefka's trim upper body. His face may be as pretty as a woman's, but the blonde's slender figure was all sleek muscles and unquestionably male. The squareness of the man's shoulders narrowed to a waist that was slim enough that Leo guessed he might be able to wrap his hands around Kefka's hips and have his fingers touch. Taking a deep breath, Leo folded his arms across his chest. 

It was going to be a long night. 

  
-=*=-  


Seated at Kefka's left, only three chairs away from Emperor Gestahl himself, Leo ate his food slowly. He was painfully out of his element and he knew it. He was just a soldier, accustomed to eating with only a fork and knife. Here, laid out on either side of his plate, was an assortment of gleaming silver cutlery -- half of which he had no idea what he had been supposed to use them for. 

Kefka virtually ignored him. The blonde had long since chosen to divest all his attention to trading gossip and wicked repartee with the woman sitting to his right. Leo suffered through course after course, and, save for the Emperor directly praising him on his unit's success in the field, he felt that the evening was a complete waste of time. By the time the dessert course rolled around, he was ready to commit suicide - with what he thought was his butter knife - to get out of there. 

"Don't be such a brute," was suddenly whispered into his ear. 

Leo nearly dropped his fork and turned to find Kefka with his chin propped on the back of his hand and an infuriating smirk on his face. "You're not actually supposed to finish anything," the blonde said, uncurling his index finger to point lazily at the few bites of rich, chocolate cake left on Leo's dish. "That included." 

Leo set his fork down with exaggerated care and was about to snarl an unpleasant and anatomically impossible suggestion under his breath when the Chancellor announced Gestahl was retiring for the night. Following the example of the other guests, Leo stood from his chair and waited patiently until the Emperor had left the room. 

"Don't want to stay, do you?" Kefka said, as Leo made a move to retake his napkin. 

"Not really," Leo muttered. 

"Then put on a smile, bow to the man behind you, and we can blow this joint," Kefka said quietly. 

Leo did as told, exchanging a polite farewell with the elderly man that had been sitting to his left, and followed Kefka out of the banquet hall. Any relief he may have felt at the ordeal being over with was eclipsed by his frustration at Kefka's behavior throughout the meal. 

"What was the point of that?" Leo growled, when they were out of the palace main and well on their way back to officer housing. 

When Kefka ignored him, he grabbed the shorter man and stopped him forcefully. His grip on Kefka's upper arm was harsh enough to bruise, but Leo didn't even notice. "You spent all your time talking to that woman. Why invite me if all you were going to do was ignore me?" 

"The honor of meeting the _Emperor_ wasn't good enough for you?" Kefka asked calmly, as he reached up a hand to peel Leo's fingers off him. 

"No!" Leo snapped, spinning the other man around to glare at him. 

"And why not?" Kefka said. He hung limp in the bigger man's grip and looked up through a veil of loose, golden strands. 

Leo opened his mouth to answer, but he had no explanation. Kefka moved a step closer to him. 

"Were you... jealous?" Kefka said. He placed his free hand on Leo's chest and tapped his fingernail against the shiny, silver button securing the uniformed officer's left breast pocket. 

Strangling a curse, Leo realised the other man was right. 

The entire torturous evening had gone exactly as Kefka had hoped, and it was sweet music to his ears when Leo had no choice but to snarl a quiet "Yes." 

"Just look at you," Kefka said softly, cocking his head to the side. He plucked at the button, then flattened his hand and spread his thin fingers across the taller man's chest. "So angry..." He slid his hand up to Leo's shoulder. "Now perhaps you understand how I felt when you kept me waiting in that cold, lonely courtyard." 

His blood still running hot, Leo caught Kefka's wrist and pulled the man's hand away before it could stroke against his jaw. "Is that what this was, Kefka? Some petty little game of revenge?" 

Hysterical laughter bubbled up in Kefka's throat. He looked down to hide his face with his hair as it burst from his lips. 

"Gods above!" Leo cried. He swung the blonde around and pushed him against the wall. "What's going on in that pretty little head of yours?" 

The giggling paused for a brief moment as Kefka murmured something to himself, then his shoulders shook as his laughter began anew. 

Exasperated, Leo released Kefka's arms and took hold of the blonde's face instead. He forced Kefka's head up and stared intently into his ice-blue eyes. "I don't know what to do with you," he hissed. 

The laughter was fading, slowly being replaced by a strange smile. "Isn't it obvious, you half-wit?" Kefka snickered. He slithered his arms around Leo's waist and tugged the man closer to him. "Kiss me." 

'_Kiss me..._' The words echoed in Leo's head. With a low growl, he crushed his lips against Kefka's and forced his tongue inside. The blonde's mouth was hot and slick, tasting of the spiced wine that had been served with dessert. The skin of Kefka's jaw, freshly shaved earlier that evening, was satin between Leo's palms, and the big man slid his fingers beneath the fine hair that fell softly against the mage's neck. Leo held the slender man in a fierce grip and pinned him against the wall with his bulk. He plundered Kefka's beautiful mouth ruthlessly, working his tongue as deep as he could and feeling the other man's thin lips crushed beneath the fullness of his own. 

An eternity later, Leo pulled away. Kefka's lips were reddened and the slender man's breathing was erratic. 

"Satisfied?" Leo asked gruffly. Anger having given way to lust, he struggled to calm the blood that roared in his ears. 

"Never," Kefka whispered.   
  


* * *

TBC 


End file.
